The Prince of Pendragon Manor
by Masked Doll Victoria
Summary: A sequel to "The Princess' Knight." As a new Grail War dawns on Fuyuki City, Irisviel and Arturia's adopted son, Shirou, finds himself embroiled in a conflict his mothers had fought just a decade before. As Shirou fights to end this unjust war, what truth will he uncover about himself, his family, and the strange chain of events that led to the Grail war beginning anew?
1. A mysterious woman

It had been ten long years since the Fourth Holy Grail War had come to a close. In its wake families were torn apart, lives lost, and futures destroyed. All involved had hoped for the same thing, to wish upon the Holy Grail and make their fondest dreams a reality. And, after a week of blood shed and death, one he man who was given the honor of making such a wish. A man of ideals, he had come into the war with a simple and child-like dream; that one day all the world's sufferings would come to an end.

But sadly a wish was all his ideals would stay. For in the dark embrace of the Grail, he found the folly of his ways. No matter how much he had given up in the name of saving the world, he would never truly relive mankind of its suffering. At best, he could bring happiness to a few people close to him. It was a truth that shook the man to his cores. He had devoted his entire life to his ideals and sacrificed even those he loved in their name. Now, standing before the reality of all things, he renounced it all. In his last moments, Emiya Kiritsugu was a "Champion of Justice" no more.

It was then that he finally made a wish. Meditating on what was most important to him, Kiritsugu wished for the happiness of those closest to him.

"All I want is for my wife and daughter to be happy."

His voice echoed through the darkness for what seemed like an eternity before finally reaching the unknowable intellect that lay buried deep within the Holy Grail. When it did, the illusionary world around Kiristsugu began to collapse and, as it did, he began to fall. Deeper and deeper he went until only darkness lay at his side. Finding himself in a silent realm of eternal darkness, Kiritsugu stood and wondered

Then, the creeping darkness began to ooze and ebb like a terrible beast of oil and slime. Moving as if by some unknown force, the ooze began to consume and envelop his body. Starting with his feet, it gradually climbed higher and higher until it finally overtook his eyes and mouth. This was the price enacted by the Grail. For the happiness of the few, many would be sacrificed.

Had Kirirsugu been able to make any noise at all, he would have screamed.

* * *

"I'm leaving, mom!" Shirou called from the manor's front door.

"Have a good day, dear." His mother returned from the kitchen where she began to prepare lunch for herself and her homeschooled daughter. Had she not been asleep at the moment, Illya, Shirou's adopted little sister, would have wished him goodbye as well.

And with that, he was off to school. It wasn't the longest walk to walk to school, but just long enough to allow for small bursts of quiet contemplation under the beautiful blue sky of a cold Fuyuki City morning. The topics on Shirou's mind were those which often plagued the psyche's of teenage boys.

"Does that cute girl in my class like?"

"Did I remember to do my homework last night?"

"I hope they're serving hamburger in the cafeteria today..."

But on some days,Shirou's thoughts wandered elsewhere to concerns that no normal teenage boy would ever have to consider. As of late, thoughts of his sister Illya lay heavy on his mind.

Just a few years ago she had simply stopped growing. Though everyone in the family tried their best to support Illya and help her fulfill her wish to go to school with her beloved older brother. It was simply not meant to be. A year ago, when Illya could take no more of the bullying and torment from those around her, she dropped out of school entirely and began attending home-school lessons led by her mother and a revolving cast of tutors.

The first day was the hardest, Illya had cried for hours and begged for Shirou to take her with him. Meeting her halfway, he eventually agreed that Illya could walk with him to school every morning if she was feeling up to it. Seeing all the work Irisviel was putting in to make sure that Illya got a good education, it was literally the least he could do to help his family through a rough time.

As his thoughts wandered back to the present, Shirou found himself directly in front of his high school's front gate. Around his dozens of students flooded into the school's campus, grumbling about various ills that had afflicted them the day before. It was here that Illya would normally part from his brother's side with a great sigh, and he would, in turn, wave to her and head off for another lengthy day of lectures and note taking. Today, in Illya's absence, Shirou merely did the latter, speeding off in hopes that he would be able to make it to class before first period bell rang.

* * *

It was lunch, and that meant Shirou could be found sitting at his desk and enjoying a meal made with love, a pinch of trial and error, by his mother Irisviel. As he indulged in the rice and eggs his mother had made for him, Shirou recalled in detail the tribulations she had gone through while learning to cook. In those days, it was common for homemade meals in the Pendragon household to range from lightly burnt to scorched in color and taste about as good as such coloring would suggest. But, nonetheless, everyone ate Irisviel's food happily because she was always trying her best for their sake. After a decade, and a few close calls that required the local fire department to resolve, Irisviel had become quite the cook and her lunchboxes the envy of every freshmen at Homurahara High School.

For Shirou, lunch was a time to relax and forget about his problems. Lost in Irisviel's cooking, his thoughts drifted to his daily training and the many bruises he had sustained because of it. Though Arturia was the nicest mother anyone could ever ask for most of the time, in the dojo she became a stern teacher who hammered every lesson into his head in the most literal way possible. To outsiders Arturia's method of training may seem almost abusesive, it was her and Shirou's way of bonding with one another. And it was through that bonding that Shirou had come to inherit his mother's chivalrous ideals. Though such a code of conduct may seem old-fashioned or even out of touch to some, for Shirou, it was a way to life that he would do almost anything to live up to.

"Yooooo, Earth to Pendragon-kun" A classmate called to Shirou as he waved his hand in front of the red haired youth's face. "You all right over there?"

Entranced by the savory flavor of his mother's cooking, Shirou had entirely failed to notice that lunch had been over for five minutes.

"Oh yeah...guess I gotta get going then. You can have the rest of my lunch if you want." Shirou stated in a droll way. He was never late for class, except on day's Irisviel had made lunch for him. As he ran out of the classroom in a hurry, Shirou made a mental note to set an alarm anytime Irisviel insisted on making lunch for him.

* * *

The last bell of the school day rang, marking the end of classes and the beginning of club activities. For Shirou, that meant practice with the Archery Club then going home or to work. Today, as he had the day off, he would go home and eat with the rest of his family.

Though he no longer recalled how it had become that way, food had always been at the center of social life In the Pendragon household, and because of this, meals, in particular dinner, were a time for family bonding. This often meant discussion of the current events and Illya frantically demanding that Shirou tell her every little detail of his day. Arturia would often share stories of British history and mythology, or at least what Shirou thought was mythology, while Irisviel was prone to discussing the rigors of shopping for a family of four and the details of the various television programs that she and Illya had taken to watching between lessons. It was a happy time for all involved and none of them would have it any other way.

Making his way to the school's Archery range, Shirou's found his path obstruced by a small group of people. Among them was Shinji Matou, a friend of his who was known as something of a Lady Killer around campus. Though he could sometimes be a jerk, he was Shirou's friend regardless.

"Hey, what's up?" Shirou asked cheerfully.

"Oh...I didn't even see you there. I'm afraid I'm a little busy now, could you do me a little favor?" Shinji flashed a smile. He was trying to look sincere. It wasn't working.

"Sure, what's up?"

"I've got things to do, so would you mind cleaning up the archery range after practice? I'd really appreciate it.

"No problem, you'll just owe me one next time."

"That will be great. But for now, I'll see you later, Pendragon. Me and my friends over here have a full night a head of us." Several of the girls in Shinji's group began to giggle as they walked off and leaft Shirou alone once more.

Shirou was a sucker for helping those in need, even if that need was as small as cleaning up after practice. Though he often cursed his own good nature, as he did right then as he walked towards the archery range, it had won him a reputation as a good friend and hard worker.

"And here I thought I'd have the day off..." Shirou said with a sigh as he finally entered the school's archery range.

* * *

The Archery club's memberships was an eclectic mix of those who were there for fun and the more ambitious whose sights were set on bigger things. Shirou fell firmly into the middle of that range. While he was good with a bow, his real talent lay in sword play. A fact that made his foray into the world of archery more a hobby and excuse to socialize than anything else. Either way, it was a fun experience and kept him busy during the small gap between the end of school and when his shift at a local liquor store began.

Practice passed with little issue, as the club's members went through their usual routine and attempted to better themselves with each draw of the bow-string. Just seeing everyone, even those who were only there for fun, try so hard, made Shirou want to do the same himself.

Afterwords, as everyone else filed out and headed home for the evening, Shirou soon found himself with only piles of archer equipment for company. Though he had desperately wanted to get home in time for dinner, seeing as Irisviel would give him an earful for missing such an important family function, he couldn't break a promise to a friend either. So, that in mind, he began to collect the various bows and other equipment and slowly but surely return them to their proper place. It was a tiresome process that took nearly an hour to complete and left Shirou exhausted.

"I really hope your appreciate this, Shinji, but it does feel good to finally be done." Shirou said as he swept the sweat from his brow. "Time to go home and see what punishment Mom has ready for me."

The usual punishment for missing dinner was having to cook dinner the next night. Though Shirou didn't mind doing so, and he in fact quite enjoyed the culinary arts, but the problem lay in just how picky Arturia and Illya were about what they ate. Illya hated Japanese food and avoided eating it unless she had to, while Arturia ate like a girl three times her side. Figuring what, and how much of it, to make was a massive pain. Because of this, cooking dinner more than deserved it's status as a punishment in the Pendragon household.

"Oh well..." Shirou thought aloud.

* * *

In the older section of Fuyuki, where streetlights are less numerous and houses tend to be older than then those who live within them, the starry night sky is especially beautiful. It was on just such a night that Irisviel had sat him down on the manor back porch and first explained to him the nature of magic and her status as a magus. A few years later, under that same starry sky, he had begun his training in magecraft with his mother and, slowly but surely, learned to control his power.

Though Shirou only really used magic to help in the repair of small electronics and other devices, the knowledge that he was capable of magic at all represented a link between him and Irisviel. Just as swordplay was his way of bonding with Arturia, practicing magecraft had come to be a time for bonding with Irisviel.

Passing by familiar buildings and landmarks, Shirou hurried home as fast as his legs would take him. As streetlights became nothing but a blur at his back, thoughts of a slightly reheated, but still homecooked, meal danced about in his head. So powerful was the thought that he could almost smell the scent of chicken wafting on the brisk winter winds.

Shirou's revelry continued unabated, until, suddenly, a different and far more powerful scent overtook the air around him. Smelling vaguely sweet but with hints of rust and other metals, it took a moment before Shirou's mind could process just what he had stumbled upon. It was a scent that brought back ill memories of the fire that had claimed his birth parent's lives and images of himself as a child covered in...

"Blood!" Shirou shouted in sudden realization.

And judging by the strength of the smell, it was fresh. This meant that someone was walking around with an open wound, even Shirou knew that much. If only he could find where it was coming from, maybe, he could help them

With only a scent to go on, Shirou scoured the immediate area for any sign of a blood trail, dead animals, or anything else that could point him to the whereabouts of the injured being in question. His search was short lived for, about two blocks from where he had started, stood a woman hobbled against one of the stone walls that stands between the road and a nearby home. As she clutched her hand to her chest, she appeared to be in great pain. And, as Shirou moved forword for a closer look, he was able to spy that she was wearing purple robes that were stained crimson with freshly spilled blood...


	2. Contract

Shirou slowly inched closer to the strange women standing before him. Despite all the training his mother had given him, he was far from prepared to help someone in bad a shape as the poor robed woman. As he approached, he weighed his options silently his head. He could call the cop and wash his hands of the entire matter, but that would go against everything Arturia had ever instilled in him. "To protect the weak and needy, this is the worth of a knight!" she would often shout during their morning training sessions. It was a statement that Shirou had followed to the T whenever possible. No matter how small or insignificant a problem maybe, if he could help the situation, he would.

However, such problems usually amount his friends after school and going into to work early. To see a woman bleeding on the street, well, that was more then a bit out of his league. Nonetheless, he had to help in someway, it was just the kind of person he was. The least he could do would be to tend to her while the authorities were on their way. That idea lingering in his mind, Shirou finally made contact with the woman, who now stood staggered with one hand against the stone wall beside her.

"Get back!" She snapped at Shirou, turning her hood-shrouded face towards him to emphasize her point.

Shirou did as instructed, back pedaling several feet before coming to a complete stop. There was no point in arguing with someone in such a dire state, he thought. It would only make the situation worse.

"But your hurt! I can call an ambulance, if you'll just let me..."

"NO! There is nothing you, nor anyone in this forsaken town, can do for me now." The strange-hooded woman coughed as she spoke. "Leave this place now, before you are draw into something beyond your comprehension."

"I'm sorry, I just can't do that." Shirou put his foot down and stood in strong resolve. "Until you are safe, I won't be moving from this spot."

The hooded woman stood in silent astonishment. Many, many, people had passed her buy as she struggled to escape from her abusive captor. A few had offered to call an ambulance, but that was the extended of it. This boy, who had just happened upon her by sheer chance was willing to stay at her side regardless of the fact that he knew nothing about her. Truly he was a pure and unselfish soul, a type of person who could easily be twisted to her own selfish whims.

"Do you intend to bear the consequences of helping one such as I?" She coughed once more.

"I'm not sure I understand what your talking about, but my mother always taught me that I should help people in need." Shirou said with an innocent smile. "So, the least I can do is stay here until things are all right again."

"_Such a naïve boy." _The woman thought. "_But, for now, he will have to do."_

"All right then, if you insist, I would like you to take me someplace safe." She said as she removed her hood revealing her face for the first time. Her skin pale and ears pointed like those of an elf, her beauty was marred only by the blood and dirt staining form. "I'm not hurt badly and just need a short while to recover."

"No problem, my house isn't far from here. But, please, promise me you'll get some real medical attention after you've rested for awhile."

"Of course. But, before we go, there is one more thing I would like from you."

Shirou tilted his head to to the side in a show of confusion. He honestly could not think of anything else he could do for the woman.

The woman, however, knew exactly what she wanted and slowly dragged herself to Shirou's side. Then, wrapping one arm around his waist, she placed her lips upon his. It was a long shot to be sure, but if there was even a small chance that this boy could be capable of what she needed. Well, it was a chance she was willing to take.

Shirou, in turn, had slipped into a state of shock. This wasn't just any kiss, it was in fact his first kiss. Known far and wide as having something of the chaste type, Shirou often stated that, between his training, school, and club work, he had little time for romantic pursuits. Knowing little of the joys of locking lips with a member of the opposite sex, waves of strange, new emotions radiated through the whole of his body. Unsure what to make of it all, Shirou struggled against his own body and began to flail his arms wildly as the strange woman began to slip her tongue into the mix.

"What the heck do you think you doing!?" Shirou screamed as he finally pulled away from the woman's embrace. Quickly, he wiped what remained of the kiss from his lips.

"Testing you." The woman replied as she once more hid her face behind the purple hood of her loose robes.

The taste of the kiss had been exquisite, that much she was sure. Only the fluids of one of magical talent, and thus laced with so much precious mana, tasted so sweet to one such as her.

"What could you possibly learn by making out with me?!" Shirou shouted in protest.

"All shall be revealed soon, for now let us make haste for your home."

"Fine... Let's go." Shirou shrugged. "Just follow me."

As he slid open the front door of the Pendragon manor, Shirou began concocting a story to cover why he had brought a older woman, not to mention one whose clothes were stained with blood, home so late at night. His first instinct was to tell the truth, that he had been hurt and would be resting there until the morning, when she would then seek proper care at a local hospital. It was not a flawless plan, being it didn't explain why here clothing was stained with more blood then could have possibly have been produced by the various bruises and cuts visible on the scant parts of her body not covered by heavy robes. But, for now, it would do.

"I'm home!" Shirou called, expecting Irisviel or Arturia to cheerfully welcome him home in response.

But that answer never came, a fact that was most curious in a household known for being rather lively at this time of night.

"I guess there not home." He said to the woman who now stood at his side. "That's certainly makes things easier."

Moving into the kitchen and adjoined living room, the center of family life in the manor, Shirou found a note written in Irisviel's rather cutesy hand writing pinned to the refrigerator.

"Dear, Shirou

Since you took so long coming home, me, Arturia, and Illya have all gone out for dinner. We'll be back around 9 or so, and, don't forget, your have to cook dinner tomorrow.

Love, Mom."

Shirou shrugged, dinner was the last thing on his mind at the moment. Being there was the small matter of attending to the wounds of a blood covered woman who just so happened to be dressed like someone attending a anime convention.

"Well, it looks like my parents and little sister are out at the moment. So we have the place to ourselves." Shirou shot the woman a sharp gaze. "But that doesn't mean you can pull another stunt like you did back on the street."

"I wouldn't dream of it." She mused. "Before we talk about matters I'd like to clean myself off."

Shirou blushed. This poor girl was beautiful, at least when her face wasn't shrouded in darkness. The thought of her pale form glistening with water cascading in the shower was simply to much for his adolescent mind of bare.

"O...Of course, I'll get you some fresh clothes and leave them in the bathroom for you."

The woman giggled. She very well knew the power she had over men and reveled in their flustered expressions whenever she could.

"Come on... The bathroom's this way."

As Shirou led, the woman followed. Still smiling to herself about Shirou's profuse blushing all the while.

Dressed in a outfit borrowed from Arturia's rather bland wardrobe the woman and free of the dirt and dried blood that had marred her lovely face just hours before, the woman sat across from Shirou at the dining room's long table. The time had come to explain the nature of herself and the tale that had brought her to his door step. Knowing he was of a magical background greatly expedited the process and would make it all the more likely he would believe the many strange tales she would soon weave for him.

"I imagine you would like to know how I came to stand before you staggered and covered in blood."

"Well yeah, you looked like you were in pretty bad shape."

"Very well, the truth of the matter is that I am not a being of this age. Rather, I was summoned here by a less then scrupulous magician who intended to use my power for his own gain. The wounds covering my body were a result of my running from his presense. I will understand if you do not believe me."

All was silent in the Pendragon manor for a very awkward minute. Shirou was familiar with the basics of magecraft and the various fields it entailed, but to summon a human being? That was simply beyond the scope of his limited knowledge of all things magical.

"No, I believe you. My mother has told me far stranger things about what magic is capable of."

"Oh good. That saves me a great deal of explanation." The woman breathed feigned a sigh of relief. "But, to be blunt, I am not long for this world. For you see, if I do not make a contract with another magician soon, I will surely fade away into nothingness."

There was a certain sadness lying just beyond the woman's words, as if she was appealing directly to Shirou to solve her unfortunate problems. And, being the upright boy he was, Shirou took the bait, hook, line, and sinker.

"Now, I know I'm not much of a magus, but, if it would mean you wouldn't have to fade away, I will make a contract with you.""

Shirou's were full of pure and righteous intentions. Finally, he would be able to put all his mothers had taught him into practice and help a poor, lost soul to find their way in the world.

"Are you sure? It can be quite the burden to take up the contract of one such as myself."

"I'm sure. I said I would do everything I could to help you, and I intend to keep that promise."

"Very well, take my hand and repeat after me..."

Entwining their hands as one, Shirou and the strange woman chanted in union the incantation handed down from age to age that bound master to servant.

"Ye first, O silver, O iron.  
O stone of the foundation, O Archduke of the Contract.  
Hear me in the name of our great teacher, the Archmagus Schweinorg.  
Let the descending winds be as a wall.  
Let the gates in all directions be shut, rising above the crown, and let the three-forked roads to the Kingdom revolve.  
Shut. Shut. Shut. Shut. Shut.  
Five perfections for each repetition.  
And now, let the filled sigils be annihilated in my stead!  
Set.  
Let thy body rest under my dominion, let my fate rest in thy blade.  
If thou submitteth to the call of the Holy Grail, and if thou wilt obey this mind, this reason, then thou shalt respond.  
I make my oath here.  
I am that person who is become the virtue of all Heaven.  
I am that person who is covered with the evil of all Hades.  
Thou seven heavens, clad in a trinity of words,  
come past thy restraining rings, and be thou the hands that protect the balance-!_"_

Suddenly, as the final line of the summoning rite passed through his lips. a powerful burning sensation coursed through Shirou's right hand. Like a cattle being branded by a rancher, a strange symbol slowly etched itself in the upon the surface of Shirou's skin. Resembling, at least superficially, the blade and hilt of a long sword it glowed as red as the setting sun in summer.

"What the hell is that?!" Shirou scrapped at the strange symbol with his index finger.

"That is a Command Seal, my Master, is the proof of our contract and of your entry into the Holy Grail War."

"The what...?" Shirou was lost. In all of his magical training he had never heard of such an event.

"I will explain all in good time, but for now, Master, I would like to thank you for saving me from a untimely demise."

The woman smiled from behind her shrouded hood, it was a strange smile that radiated both gratitude and ill intent.

"My name Caster, and, from now until the day this war comes to an end, I shall be your servant."


	3. Stirrings of War

Shirou stared deeply at Caster. Despite all that she had dropped on him just moments before, the robed servant remained calm and collected. Shirou, however, was shaken to his core. Hours ago he had taken in a strange woman simply out of the kindness of his heart. Now he had been dragged into a "war" he knew nothing about and branded like simple cattle. There were things that needed to be explained and questions that needed to be answered.

"Caster, it's not that I don't trust you, but before I go along with whatever it is you keep going on about, I'm going to need to know exactly what this "Holy Grail War" thing is and why you keep calling me Master."

Shirou's gaze was stern. He knew nothing about Caster save for the fact that she was somehow connected to magecraft and all the strange rituals and rites that went along with it. In order to truly help her, he would need to know everything. How she had come to stand on the side of the road with her clothes stained by blood, why she was dress liked someone on their way to a costume party, and even if Caster was her real name.

"Very well. As your servant, I have no reason to keep secrets. However, I will only say this once, so please do pay attention."

Caster began her explanation with a sweeping overview of the basics of the Grail War. Seven magi, known as masters, would summon seven legendary souls, known as servants, from among the ranks of mankind's greatest heroes to do battle in their stead. When all was settled, and only one pair remained, the winners would claim the honor of making a single wish. It was a conflict that had been waged four times in the past, and would soon begin once more in Fuyuki City.

"Wait...are you telling me that we have to kill the other masters and servants?!" Shirou yelled at the top of his lungs.

There was much Shirou still wished to ask about this strange conflict, but one thing stood amidst all Caster had said stood out in his mind. To participate in the Grail War meant harming others for personal gain. By it's very nature it was nothing more but a violent struggle among very few to see whose selfish desires burned brightest. On a very basic level, the nature of the Grail War stood against every fiber of his being.

"Ideally, yes." Caster smirked. "Those who are allowed to survive may become problematic later."

"That's awful!" Shirou said as he pounded one hand against the manor's dining room table. "Nothing is worth killing others over!"

"Then how do you intend to win this war, Master?" Caster's speech verged on sarcastic.

"I...I don't know. But we'll find a way." Shirou shrunk back to a seated position.

He had also had problems acting without thinking, but his impulsive nature had finally landed him in a position that he could not easily get himself out off. Nonetheless, he would not back down now.

"I had promised I'd help you, and I intend to keep that promise."

Caster couldn't help herself but to laugh. All of this was far to amusing. This boy, her new master, was so young, so naive, so very...pure. To corrupt him, as other had done to her millenniums ago, would be among the greatest of joys.

"I'm afraid that isn't how the real world works, my master. One way or another you will be forced to silence the life of those opposing you. If you do not, well, I imagine you will die in their stead..."

Shirou gritted his teeth. Desperate time called for desperate measures. Caster had explain to him the importance of the brand engraved upon his right had, known as a "Command Seal" it was a limited use spell intended to make the impossible possible by exerting special conditions upon a master's servant.

"I'm serious, Caster. As long as I'm your master I forbid you from harming another human being."

The symbol upon Shirou's hand blazed with a intense light that illuminated his body like a street lamp. In a flash, the bottom of the crest had turned a dull gray, completely devoid of the intense coloration it had held moments before. Caster in turn clutched at her chest as the spell took hold of her body.

Among servants there was were those of strong enough will that they could simply ignore such a edict, even one aided by the use of a Command Seal, but for her, low on mana and only recently contracted, there was no such chance. Her existence would, from now on, be bound by a singular rule

"Why...?" Caster spoke through the pain taking hold of her body.

"I already told you, I'm going to end the war without killing anyone. This way, I can trust you'll do the same."

Shirou smiled confidently once more as Caster groaned through the last throes of the Command Seal's power overtaking her spiritual body. Though he had used up an important resource to do so, he was sure everything was finally under control.

Soon, as if the universe had set out to prove him wrong, a knock and familiar voice echoed from beyond the manor's front door.

"Shirou, We're home!" Feminine and full of energy, it could only be one person.

Shirou's hope, as quickly as it had come, soon fluttered away like so many butterflies in a spring meadow.

With a loud _whooshing _the door of the Pendragon manor slid open, revealing Shirou parents and younger sister. Fresh from a night in the town, they're minds lay heavy with thoughts of a good night's sleep.

"You go get ready for bed, Illya. Me and Arturia are going to check on Shriou." Irisviel said before yawning in the palm of her head.

Illya, in return, merely nodded and skipped off to do as she was instructed. Though she normally would have fought teeth and nail to see Shirou to, the fatigue settled upon her narrow shoulders simply would not allow it.

"Shirou!" Irisviel called once more. "I brought you dinner."

The words soon brought a panic to the young magi's mind. Unlike the various small animals he had smuggled into the manor in his youth, Caster was a full grown, and slightly sadistic, woman. He simply couldn't put her into a shoe box and hide her in the closest. Rather, he would now have to face the consequences of is decision.

His heart racing with fear, Shirou braces himself for whatever punishment may come unto him from on high.

"Welcome back, mom." Shirou spoke with a stutter. "How was dinner?"

"Oh, it was all right. The service wasn't great and the food came back a little burned." Irisviel spoke as she walked into the dining room, in one hand she held a brown paper bag heavy with leftover chicken and noodles. "You really should have come home sooner, we waited for nearly an hour and a half before Arturia insisted we go out for food..."

Irisviel, gaze soon turned from Shirou to the mysterious woman sitting behind him. Clad in dirty purple robes, Caster stuck out like a sore thumb. Her first thought had been that perhaps this woman had been someone Shirou had been dating, but she looked to old for that and the dirt and other muck clinging to her clothes suggested she had been through rough times very recently.

"And who might that be, Shirou?" Irisviel asked accusingly, her words radiating a sense of confusion.

"Oh, she's the reason I was late for dinner. I found her hurt on the way home from school and, since it was so late, I took her back here to rest for awhile."

Better to tell the truth now, then to lie and make the situation worse.

"That is so like you, Shirou. You really are the best son a mother could ever ask for." Iri smiled and mussed Shirou's reddish brown hair. Causing the young magus to blush in the process.

"She can stay the night, but I want you to take her home or to the hospital first thing in the morning."

"Thanks, mom. Your a lifesaver" Shirou let out a sigh of relief as his mother turned to the servant currently regaining a seated position after recovering from the shock of a command seal binding her very being.

"As for your friend over there, you can sleep in the guest room and I'll lay out some spare clothes as well. So make sure to clean yourself up before you leave tomorrow."

"That would be most welcome. I've been through much these last few days, and being able to rest, if just for the night, is more then I could ever ask for."

Caster's mannerisms changed dramatically in Irisviel's presence. Gone was the woman who had suggested murder as a legitimate survival strategy, and in her place spoke a human being both well mannered and polite. Though a witch she maybe, Caster more then understood the need for keeping a facade of civility with those who maybe useful at a later date.

"You know, your lucky Shirou found you before someone else did. There isn't a nicer buy in this entire city, your quite lucky." Irisviel gloated.

"Indeed, I realized that the moment he brought me to this place." _Luckier then you could ever imagine._ Caster thought to herself. A thought that manifest itself as a small smirk.

"All right, I'll go run a bath and throw together some of my old clothes for you to wear. You too should get to bed soon as well, it seems like you've both had quite the day."

Always the loving mother, Irisviel had made a habit of putting Shirou and Illya's well being before her own. Leaving the brown bag full of food on the dining room table, Irisviel left to prepare a bath and clothing for a woman she whose name she didn't even know. Though she had a dozen questions to ask her and Shirou, such as why Shirou had a very questionable symbol on his hand or why that woman wreaked of mana. _"I'll let Arturia deal with this one."_ Irisviel thought. "_After all_, s_he understands Shirou better then anyone."_

"Your mother is quite kind, Master. Though she you look nothing like her, it is very strange to say the least."

"I was adopted, so I don't look like either of my parents." Shirou shrugged as he sat down to examine the bounty of mid-grade, family-style, food Irisviel had brought home for him.

"Oh, is your father foreign as well?"

Caster's words struck a nerve with Shirou and caused him to wrinkle his brow out of annoyance, he had many teased many times over for having two mothers. As well as the fact that the rest of his family hailed from outside of Japan. It used to be enough to boil his blood, but now, after years of hearing such insults, it merely annoyed him.

"I don't have a father, but Miss Arturia is English." Shirou responded as he mentally tried to cool himself down.

"You've two mothers then, how odd. I can't say I've ever seen such a familial arraignment before. I..."

"Just drop it, Caster." Shirou interrupted, still annoyed at his servant's probing words. "I need to eat before bed. You should go take a bath."

"Very well... I shall take my leave until I am needed once more, _Master._"

Caster once more emphasized Shirou's title in a sarcastic a manner that almost seemed to question if he was a worthy of being called her master.

Shirou ignored such manners of inflection and seemed content to spend his time enjoying a slightly overcooked chicken leg.

"Even if everyone here is a bit odd, this really is a fine dwelling." Caster thought aloud as she explored the Pendragon manor in search the bathroom.

The Pendragon manor, formally a rundown building used by Kiritsugu Emiya as a base during the Fourth Holy Grail War, was the product of years of renovation and love from the family who lived within it. Now restored to it's original glory, it was a fine living space that anyone would be proud to call home. From the spacious back patio, to the kitchen that was perpetually filled, thanks in no small part to Arturia's prodigious appetite, with various wonderful things, it was a home worthy of holding the illustrious Pendragon family name.

It was down the hall from the dining room that Caster found the bathroom. Though small by most standards, and a far cry from the public baths that had existed in her time, it was more then enough for a single person to shower or soak for a short while.

As Caster surveyed the bath, she soon felt a powerful presence radiate from another corner of the house. Though a beacon of powerful magical energy, it was a bit different then the aura surrounding Shirou and his snowy-haired mother. More so, it was a feeling akin to sensing the presence of a being that could not exist in the modern age without being summoned there first. "Well now, this is quite the interesting development." Caster thought aloud as she made haste to follow her senses to discover the source of this strange feeling.

It did not take her long, as the energy radiated most powerfully around a young woman with blond hair and green eyes who had only moments before emerged from one of the manor's bedrooms. Clad in jeans and a white blouse, she could have been mistaken for a modern human. But Caster's sense did not lie, this girl was not entirely human.

"Who are you and why are you here?" Arturia said firmly, sensing the same of Caster.

For a moment Caster merely gazed upon Arturia. How odd it was to see a servant in such a role. Not only had her master called this girl his "mother" but it seemed she was connected to the white haired woman as well. It was all...very odd, to say the least. Regardless of her origin, Arturia was overflowing with power. Just by looking at her one could tell she possessed great strength. In much the same manner, Arturia could sense a similar energy coursing through Caster.

As battered as she was, Caster would have been no match for such a servant. It would be best not to anger one such Arturia so soon.

"Answer me! Who are you?" Arturia repeated.

"I am a nothing more then a woman you son happened to find injured by the side of the road. He was kind enough to welcome me into this home of yours_." _Caster stated plainly, attempting to swerve the conversation away from the obvious.

"You...you cannot deceive me. I know very well know what you are. Get out of this house now before I cut you down where you stand." Arturia stood her ground. Even without her blade drawn she was an imposing figure indeed. "I will not have you drag my family into another of these pointless wars."

Caster stood shaken at Arturia's display. This was not a fight she could win. If she hoped to live to see another sun rise, an alternate plan of action would have to be devised

"Tha...that isn't a good idea, Miss Servant." Caster blurted out, her teeth almost chattering out of fear.

"And why not? I and Irisviel have worked far to hard to raise our children in a normal and peaceful household. I will not have you ruining all of that with your mere presence."

"Well...I've already forged a contract with that "son" of yours. If you strike me now what will he think? That his mother killed the strange woman who had only stopped bye because she was hurt? I don't think that would be at all good for health of the peace you so cherish." Caster's words were hurried and strung together, as if she was her mind and mouth had begun to work at the exact same pace.

Arturia in turn took several steps back, dropping the offensive stance she had adopted moments before.

Shirou saw her as his mother and nothing more. Though him she had finally been able to mend the hole in her heart that had been formed when her first "son" had died upon a hill of swords. For that reason alone, she could not kill this vile harpy of a woman for it would break the bond between her and Shirou that had taken a decade to forge. For Shirou's sake, she would have to find some other way do deal with her.

"What do you plan to do with with my son."

"My only goal, Ms. Servant, is to win the Grail War and I need his mana in order to do just that. What else that "son" of yours does is of little concern to me"

"Very well, but know this: if even so much as a single hair on Shirou's head is harmed, so help me I will do everything in my power to prevent you from attaining that dream of yours." So strong was Arturia's gaze, that Caster swore she could feel it in the pit of her soul.

"I swear by the Grail, I will let no harm come to my Master."

Even though she was free to pursue the Grail, she was bound by both Shirou and Arturia's edicts. Under their constant watch it would be unlikely she would be able to do anything underhanded or malicious without being thrashed half to death by an angry servant-turned-mother. Her entire plan to win the Grail would have to be rewritten!

"I'm glad we could come to an understanding." Arturia smirked.

"Yes...Yes... Now if you will excuse me, I have a bath to take."Caster sighed once more in dejection.


	4. Teach me Pendragon and Tagia-sensei!

Interlude 1: Teach me, Pendragon-sensei!

Mail bag 2

The time had come once more for lost souls to beseech their goddess to bestow upon them the knowledge on how to move forward and to bear the burden of life as we know. Though it had been many since the blessed had gathered to give guidance to the lost, their will had wavered little. Their hearts filled with kindness,the Einzbern consultation room begins anew right now!

"Welcome back dear friends, though it has been years since we last did this, I promise you all that the advice this consultation room offers is still second to none, isn't that right, Zecchan?" Irisviel asked clad in the same pink and white kimino she had worn since taking up the title of "Sensei" so many years ago.

"I thought you weren't going to call me that anymore, I'm an adult now, you know...?" The woman formerly known as Student Zero said with a sigh. Now a teacher herself, Taiga Fujimura had long ago out grown the nickname, and highschool gym uniform, that had defined her days as Irisviel's assistant.

"Oh, I know, Taiga. But please humor your sensei just this once, all right?" Irisviel flashed a smile so bright it could blind any who happened to gaze upon its radiance.

"All right, just this once." Taiga shrugged. It was nearly impossible to tell Irisviel no, a fact that the entire Pendragon household knew all to well.

Adopting the persona of her teenage years once more, though not the gymsuit, which no longer fit for obvious reasons, Taiga soon found herself swept up Irisviel's playful brand of advice giving.

"Sensei!" Taiga struck a familiar pose, emphasizing her words with an energy that radiated from her burning soul. "What brings us to the consultation room today?!"

"Well, my dear student, a lot has happened since we last were together, I imagine it would be a good time to catch up on things that have happened over the last decade. That in mind, let's turn to the mailbag and see if can illuminate the past for all to see!"

"Can do, Sensei!"

Reaching deep into the pitch-black abyss of the consultation room's mail bag, Taiga soon emerged with a plain envelope.

"Very good, Zecchan, now let's see burning questions lay on the mind of our readers."

After carefully opening the envelope, Irisviel began reading the letter aloud.

_"Dear sensei,_

_ Word around the neighborhood is that your son has begun practicing Magecraft. This is a bit confusing, as I had thought that you had refused to teach him. So what made you change your mind?"_

"A very good question! To begin, your quite correct. I did initially refuse to teach Shirou on the grounds that magecraft has brought nothing but pain to me and my family." Placing her hands on her heart, Irisviel's tone was solemn as she recounted the painful memories of her past.

"However, five years, at Arturia's suggestion, I began to teach Shirou to the basics of magic...

_Five years ago, the Pendragon Manor_

It had taken months of study for Irisviel to even begin to grasp Shirou's style of magecraft. While she was capable of manipulating string in various shapes, Shirou's power was another beast all together. Known in some circles as Projection, it was a power that made it possible for it's user to grasp the underlying structure of an object and, with enough power and training, even reproduce them.

Though she didn't quite understand it herself, Irisviel still devoted herself to learning all she could about the subject. Though she couldn't teach Shirou how to develop his talent, she could at least instill in him the basics needed to control it and the knowledge necessary to prevent tragedies such as that which claim the life of her beloved husband..

"Keep calm and focus, Shirou. We don't want a repeat of what happened the last time we did this."

Heeding his mother's warning with a nod, Shirou breathed deeply as he imagined the underlying structure of the small pot his mother has furnished for the day's lesson. Safety was of the utmost concern, especially after the previous month's session had nearly ended in tragedy. After misplacing a single line of the chant he had developed to keep focus during the visualization process, Shirou had ruptured several nerves and nearly died in the process. Needless to say, it was an event Irisviel dearly hoped would never come again.

"I know, mom. I'll be careful."

Irisviel smiled. She had the utmost confidence in her son, though his safety always came before his training as a magus. If there was any sign things would go wrong, she would call the whole thing off without a second thought.

"Judging the concept of creation" Shirou thought silently.

Hypothesizing the basic structure

Duplicating the composition material

Imitating the skill of its making

Sympathizing with the experience of its growth

Reproducing the accumulated years

Excelling every manufacturing process"

As he chanted, a image grew within Shirou's mind. Beginning as nothing but a blue print it quickly became more, eventually become a near perfect duplicate of the pot now sitting before him. This was his one talent, the power to understand, reinforce, and copy the underlying structure of any object. Though it was a narrow field of study, under Irisviel's tutelage, Shirou had made it his own.

As the air around his palm rumbled, a new form took shape beside its double. Slowly but surely Identical in every way to the original, even the most knowledgeable of people could not tell which was the copy.

"I did it!" Shirou nearly shouted.

However his celebration would be short lived, for as soon as he could lift his arms to the heaven's above the small clay pot at his feet began to rumble. As the tenuous bond that tethered it's duplicated form to the real world slowly unraveled from the inside, a great energy was released and, like a bomb reaching the point of impact, exploded outward with a great cracking sound.

Mother and son quickly ducked behind a nearby piece of sheet metal, avoiding most of the clay littered blast in the process.

"Shirou..." Irisviel said staring daggers at Shirou. "You were to hasty to declare victory, if you really want to become a proper magus, you will need to learn patience. Now please, be a good boy and pick all of this up, all right?"

"Yes, mom..."

"All right! Our next meeting will be at the same time next week. Till then, I'd like you to work on your concentration skills."

Irisviel left the shed with a smile on her face. Though Shirou had failed once more to use true Projection, his enthusiasm and sheer will to go on despite his numerous failures were admirable and, with each passing day, he was coming closer and closer to becoming a magus his parents could be proud of.

"_I really wish you have met Shirou, darling" _Irisviel thought to herself. "_He's so much like you when you were young, so full of energy and a drive to change the world. Sometimes I really wish you two could have met. I'm sure you would have been best friends..."_

"And there you have it, my dear Zecchan, the story of how I came to teach Shirou magecraft."

"But why, Sensei?" Zecchan whined. "I thought you had forbid him from learning magic?!"

"Well, after much soul searching, I thought that Shirou deserved a chance to prove himself. He is a far different man then my late husband was, and I simply cannot see him using his powers to harm another living being."

Irisviel smiled, Shirou had come a long way since she had found him covered in ragged clothes and standing on death's door a decade ago. He had grown into a proper young man who cared for all those around him and who would do no wrong even in the face of great temptation. In many ways, he was his mother's child, in both ideals and morals he was a spitting image of the king of knights in her younger years.

"I'd hate to interrupt your moment of self-indulgent reflection, Sensei, but we have another letter to answer!"

"Very good! Please read it for me, Zecchan."

"_Dear Sensei,_

_ Is it true that your wife once had child of her own?"_

"Oh my... this is a rather sensitive topic." Irisviel spoke in a downturn voice. "And one best left to Arturia. I will say, however, that it is true that she had a daughter of her own. The rest of the story is a sad and is a tale I'd rather not share right now."

"Sensei..."

"It's all right Zecchan, lets just move on to the next letter."

With great speed, as if to absolve the tension building in the Consultation Room, Zecchan once more read aloud the contents of the great mail bag.

"_Dear Sensei,_

_ Whatever happened to that priest guy who was obsessed with your husband?"_

"That's a good question and one I might not be able to answer. I know that he was the last master standing besides my husband at the war's end, but I have no idea what became of him..."

_Somewhere in Fuyuki City, Present Day_

A light glow cascade across the room the dark basement room, illuminating the form of a slender man who sits upon a couch in the room's corner.

In his hand he holds a glass of fine wine, aged to perfection over several centuries and imported from a country deep in the heart of Europe. Gently he sips from the glass cup, taking care to make sure that not a single drop falls anywhere but his waiting maw.

It had become a ritual of sorts for the man, in the morning he rose to eat, left for a long while, and upon returning home drank the night away in a sea of alcohol.

Such routine was borne out of sheer boredom, he had traveled the world over, ate the finest food, and loved the finest women. But somewhere along the line, all that had become a bore. He had tried to relive the days of his youth, but that time had passed. The man who had once been a king now held no dominion in the world of mortals. His best days behind him, it was seemed appropriate simply to wile away the days in a never-ending haze of alcohol and imported food.

"Oi, priest, bring me some more of this!"

There was no answer. There never was.

"Never mind, sometimes I forget that your body now feeds the worms~"

The blond-haired man laughed and laughed and laughed, until he found his own commentary funny no more.

"Oh well, I have more important matters to attend to. Keep watch while I'm gone~"

Pulling on a fur-trim coat, the gold haired man waved at a human skull that lay on a desk on the other side of the room.


	5. A Gathering of Heroes

Pillow Talk/A gathering of heroes

Arturia awoke in a cold sweat, her mind littered with what-ifs and possibilities, none of which could end well for her makeshift family. Moving to the bathroom adjoining her sleeping space, she washed sweat from her face. As she splashed water on her pale skin, the lingering thought of the purple robed sorceress sleeping just a room over filled her head. She scowled. The awful woman who called herself Caster, had forced a contract up Shirou and attempted to blackmail her with threats of telling Shirou the spilling the closely held secrets behind her true identity. Arturia scowled once more at the water running from the bathroom faucet came to a stop. No good could come of having Caster here, anyone who knew even the smallest details surrounding the Grail Wars could have gleaned that. Yet, their was nothing she could do about the mysterious magic-user, if she had attempted to hurt her Shirou would never see her in the same light. The both of them had reached an uneasy stalemate, at long as Caster meant Shirou no harm, Arturia would not plaster her organs all over the front lawn.

As Arturia toweled the last remnants of water clinging to her face, she sighed. She had always been a woman of action who had done everything in her power to prevent such things from befalling those precious to her. She had failed Shirou, if he had just come home on time none of this would have ever happened. Fate was cruel, that was all she could attribute such awful luck to.

"I will talk to Shirou regarding this matter myself." She thought aloud to herself. "Before that witch can poison his mind further.

Her will like iron and resolve strong as steel, Arturia would have no strange woman corrupt her precious son. She would not fail her children, not again. It was all she could do at the moment, breaking a contract between a servant and her master was by no means an easy feat and involved killing either involved in the contract or dispelling it via magical means. She was bound by her word to not do the first and the second was likely beyond even Irisviel's magical prowess, all she could do was direct Shirou to do what was right, and protect him should such a path lead down a dangerous path.

Knowing very well that dwelling on such a depressing manner would do no good, Arturia returned once more to her bed room, stepping quietly as to prevent Irisviel from waking. Her efforts had been in vein, as upon entering the room, Arturia quickly spied a very worried Irisviel staring directly at her.

"Are you all right?" Irisviel shakily spoke. It took much to drive Arturia to worry, as a woman who had lived through one of the most brutal ages in all human history, and as a king no less. To see her in such a state called for more then it's fair share of worry.

"I am, the events of the past knight have merely shaken me." Arturia spoke as she sat beside Irisviel. "I assure you, that I will be fine by morning."

"It's all right to worry once in awhile, you know. You've always been so strong for all of us, I wouldn't mind if you weren't, just this once. I'll do everything in my power to make things all right."

Irisviel's smiled a blinding smile. She was the purest of all the world's creatures, a woman so innocent that she could not have been born of god's creation, but rather fully formed by the hand of man as a perfect example of what humanity as a race could strive to become.

"Irisviel..."

"There is nothing to worry about, this isn't like the last war. Shirou isn't going to fight alone, he has both of us at his side." Another smile, even more radiant then the last." Besides, no matter what that servant of his tries, I'm sure he will see through it. He was trained by the best after all."

Irisviel's hand began to wander, eventually settling on Arturia's head. With a smile she ruffled the King of Knights hair, like she had Shirou's when he was was a small child. In all the world, only Irisviel could carry out such an act and walk away with all of her limbs intact, such was the love between the two of them.

"I love you, Arturia, and I know, that when all is said and done, you'll do the right thing. " Moving ever closer to her love, Irisviel planted a small and lingering kiss on Arturia's lips.

"Now let's go to bed, all right?"

"All right, milady. Your words ring true, I will save my worries and missives for Shirou when he returns from school tomorrow."

Still wrapped in her lover's warm embrace, Arturia returned the kiss Irisviel had gifted upon her. Gentle and filled with love, it was the type of that at the same time said "I love you" and "Good night".

The two lovers soon fell asleep still entwined in each others arm. For a few hours, the horrors of the Grail War remained nothing but a distant thought, one could would wait a single night for two lovers to rest their weary heads.

* * *

Fuyuki City.

As the large wooden clock nailed high above the mantle struck midnight, the black-haired girl smiled. The time had finally come for her to reclaim what was stolen for her a decade ago. Like so many other people, an unjust war had robbed her of entire family. Sent to live with a foster family for longer then she could even remember, it was but three years ago that she had returned to her ancestral home to reclaim her birthright and the right to take part in the same conflict her father and his grand father and his grandfather before him had all pursued in order to claim the power of the Holy Grail for the Tohsaka clan.

But for Rin, this was no longer just a matter of tradition and her family's century old goals, rather this was a chance for her to finally prove her worth. That she was more then some poor child whose entire life had been take from her by the selfish wills of others. Clutching a blood-red ruby in her hand, the magus of gems and last remaining member of the Tohsaka household began to chant.

"Silver and iron to the origin. Gem and the archduke of contracts to the cornerstone. The ancestor is my great master Schweinorg.  
The alighted wind becomes a wall. The gates in the four directions close, coming from the crown, the three-forked road that leads to the kingdom circulate.  
Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill).  
Repeat every five times.  
Simply, shatter once filled.  
――――I announce.  
Your self is under me, my fate(doom) is in your sword.  
In accordance with the resort of the Holy Grail, if you abide by this feeling, this reason, then answer.  
Here is my oath. I am the one who becomes all the good of the world of the dead, I am the one who lays out all the evil of the world of the dead.  
You, seven heavens clad in three words of power, arrive from the ring of deterrence, O keeper of the balance ―――!"

"_Come to me o' servant of the Class Saber, come forth and secure my victory!" _

As the final words of the immortal chant passed her unadorned lips, a massive surge of power ripped through the Tohsaka manor, breaking apart wood and plastered as if it was nothing but paper. As debris fell all around her, Rin had been blown to the ground by the mysterious blast. Yet, for all the power unleashed by the ritual, the magic circle she had so carefully constructed lay empty.

"How could this have happened?! I did everything perfectly!"

Dusting herself of with a grumble, which didn't take long, as wearing a mini-skirt in the middle of a magical ritual is convenient but not at all recommended, Rin took survey of the wreckage that had once been the manor's living room. It didn't take long for her to notice the the roof had collapsed, littering the rust of the room in fallen piles of wood and plaster. Such a disaster would take a rather large sum of money to fix. Rin once more sighed as she kick aside a pile of debris. Though the roof was a problem, the lack of a servant was far more troubling. Without one she would have no way to to take part in the Grail War, and with it, no way to reclaim her family's honor and with it the reigns of her own life.

Before lapsing into tears of futility, Rin jumped to her feet and took stock of the rest of the house. Checking room after room, it soon became apparent that the damage had been localized around where the summoning ritual had taken place. Another sigh. "_Why does things like this always happen to me?_" Rin thought to herself. Her luck in life had indeed been awful but, if she was unable to summon a servant, it would be among the lowest moments in a life already overflowing with sadness and loss.

"Yo, lady in red, are you going to stand there moping forever or are you going to say hi?" A sarcastic voice rang from the living room.

"What, who is there!? Show yourself now, before I call the police!"

"Come on, you summoned me, didn't you?"

"...Yes, I guess I did." Though Rin's words were calm, in the back of her mind she was cheering with all her might.

"All right then, it's good to meet you, _Miss Master." _The servant in the red coat and form fitting black shirt's words rang full of sarcasm.

* * *

Einzbern Castle, Germany

"My master, Ella and the servant have just arrived in Japan. They are on route to the Fuyuki Castle as per your plan. It seems everything is in order."

"Excellent, now all that is left is to bide our time until the Grail War begins. You are dismissed."

As one of the many maid homunculus left Acht to his own devices, the patriarch of the Einzbern family sat in his study, wearing a smile upon his wrinkled face. In the years since the last Grail War came to an end, the Einzberns had lost much, with two Grail vessels sitting just beyond his reach, sacrifices had to be made and plans rewritten. Rather then trying to reclaim Illyasviel, who was supposed to have been the vessel for the Fifth Grail, a replacement had been fashioned in her image. A half empty vessel meant only to act as a control mechanism for the mightiest of servants. Her only goal was to reclaim Illyasviel and force unto her the role of grail vessel.

It was far from a fool proof plan, but with Irisviel and the infernal King of Knights standing over her, the confusion of the Grail War was the only cover under which he could reclaim the rightful property of the Einzbern Family. Even if Ella was far from an ideal master, it was the best they could do.

"I'm counting on you, hollow little shell, the Einzbern family's honor rests on your tiny shoulders."

Acht laughed, even if this new homunculus failed in her role, the chaos of the war may just be enough to launch an alternate plan. After the failure of the fourth war, the importance of a back up plan was instilled firmly in the mind of the Einzbern Patriarch.

* * *

Somewhere in America.

"Your really sure about this, Miss Mentor?" A small woman with black hair and wearing a t-shirt and pants normally associated with jogging, rather then magical affairs, spoke as she sketched the infamous summoning circle upon the cold pavement of the parking lot behind her apartment complex.

"Of course, my protege, we need to fix those eyes of yours and the Grail is the only way I can find capable of granting such a wish, that is without resorting to true magic or something silly like that, Maria." She spoke her, adding the girl's name for emphasis.

A taller and slightly older woman stood over the black-haired girl, supervising the ritual with a keen smirk.

"I don't know, my eyes ended up like this in the first place because you sent off on one of these quests."

"HEY! All my information pointed to that treasure being worth the trip to Antarctica and having to defeat an eldritch abomination or two." The older woman, whose name was Karen and who wore a long dress more befitting a magus, stated as she stomped her heal into the ancient pavement below her.

"And look where your information landed me, I was nearly eaten by some awful blob monster and then, even though I managed to kill the damn thing, that stupid artifact you had me chasing cursed my eyes and now I can't open my eyes without seeing into the fourth dimension!" As the black-hair girl shouted several dogs answered with loud barks from nearby homes.

"Shhhh, calm down before you wake up the whole neighborhood... Ok I screwed up on that one, but I swear I've got everything right this time, trust me. Now get back to summoning whatever so we can send you off to war!"

The older woman smiled a discomforting smile shouting her decree with all her strength.

"Please don't smile when you say things like that, it scares me." With that the black haired girl finished the magical circle and began to chant.

" Silver and iron to the origin. Gem and the archduke of contracts to the cornerstone. The ancestor is my great master Schweinorg.  
The alighted wind becomes a wall. The gates in the four directions close, coming from the crown, the three-forked road that leads to the kingdom circulate.  
Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill).  
Repeat every five times.  
Simply, shatter once filled.  
――――I announce.  
Your self is under me, my fate(doom) is in your sword.  
In accordance with the resort of the Holy Grail, if you abide by this feeling, this reason, then answer.  
Here is my oath. I am the one who becomes all the good of the world of the dead, I am the one who lays out all the evil of the world of the dead.  
You, seven heavens clad in three words of power, arrive from the ring of deterrence, O keeper of the balance ―――!"

The powerful surge of energy arced through the area, knocking out several power lines in the process. As sparks rained from the heavens, a mysterious figure emerged amidst the magic circle. Robbed in black, the servants face was pale as the moon hanging overhead in the night sky, while her golden eyes seemed to peer into her master's very soul. A beautiful woman of middle-eastern descent, this was the servant summoned by the young girl.

For a moment servant and master merely exchanged silent glances, neither wanting to make the first move. Only the girl's mentor, unfazed by the servant's imposing aura, could break the silence. Putting herself between master and servant, she attempted to break the linger silence of the situation with words alone.

"Um, aren't you supposed to say "Are you may master now, miss servant? I mean that is kind of the whole point of this ritual and all."

"Silence." The servant snapped, turning her gaze to her master's mentor. "Why have you summoned me?"

"To win the Grail of course, my speechless protege over there needs that magic cup to fix her eyes that were screwed up by a different all powerful magical artifact."

"If that is all you wish, I have no reason to be here. Such a relic stands as an affront to god and all creation, I would sooner destroy it then allow it to fall into the hands of those as selfish as you. Now begone before I take your heads for payment for this misdeed."

Turning her back on those who had summoned her, the servant wrapped herself in darkness and seemed almost to fade into nothing, or she would have, if the woman standing in front of her had not again beseech her.

"Please, I'm desperate. If you don't help us she'll never be able to live a normal life. All of this is my fault and if I can't help her now I don't know what I'll do with myself."

Miss mentor lay on the verge of tears. This truly was her last chance to free her beloved student from the bonds she herself had shackled her with.

"You try my patience, once more, begone before I..."

"Please...!"

Miss Mentor ran to the robed woman, and pleaded as tears cascaded from her eyes.

"Foolish girl..."

From the servant's back grew a crimson arm like that of a devil, pulsating with dark energy, the vile limb poised itself to strike the offending target with claws of pure malice.

Miss mentor stood shocked as the demonic appendage came ever closer to her and, in an odd crackle of blood and energy, formed a perfect of heart within the palm of it's hand.

"What are you going to do to me...?"

"If you do not stop this now I will crush your heart and end your annoyance permanently."

The servant's golden eyes seemed almost to radiate the same strange darkness of the demonic vestige jutting from the small of her back.

"Wait!"

The servant's master finally spoke, her body freed from shock by her mentor's life teetering on the brink of extinction.

"I'm your master" she spoke rising from the ground. "And I might not be the most selfless person in the universe either, but no ill would come from my possessing the Grail. But it's not worth losing that idiot of a mentor to gain it, so if you truly want to destroy the grail, it's fine by me. If anything it would prevent more people sending their students off to die looking for some stupid magic artifact."

The female servant withdrew her demon hand from miss mentor's face, dispelling the sculpture of her heart in the process.

"Your willing to sacrifice sacrifice your one chance at redemption in exchange for this woman's life?"

"Of course, she may have sent me out to die in a frozen wasteland and thought summoning you was a good idea, but she's still my friend, even if she is a gigantic idiot." Maria stood firm, even in the face of such a powerful force as the servant she had summoned her will held strong.

"Very well, on the basis that the Grail will be mine to destroy in the name of my faith, I ask you; are you my master?"

"Of course." Maria said with a smile.

"Very well, my master, our contract is sealed. Call upon me once more only when the time for war is finally at hand."

With a dramatic swish of her cape-like robes, the mysterious servant seemed to melt into night itself, becoming one with the inky darkness surrounding her.

"Did I do all right, Miss Mentor?" Maria stuttered to her mentor, her entire body shaking with all the fear she had bottled during her prior exchange.

"As you now have a servant and I'm not dead, yes; I think you did all right."

"Cool, I'just have one more question for you."

"Sure, anything, you've earned it."

"...can I sleep now?"

"Of course, you did well."

"Good night, Miss Mentor."

"Good night, Maria."

* * *

Somewhere in Fuyuki.

"Are you really sure that I can have this?"

"Of course, I have bigger plans for your sister, for now this is fine."

Shinji Matou walked off with a strange, hand-sized book tucked close to his heart.

"Now I'll show everyone what I'm capable of..." He spoke laughing to himself.

The old man behind him smirked, one many ways, Shinji reminded him of someone else he had sent off to die a decade ago. That was, except for the fact that no goodness lay in Shinji's heart. Perhaps that would serve him well as the master of Servant Rider, or perhaps he would be killed before he could accomplish anything. The old man chuckled, both were amusing thoughts.

* * *

Hello all, thank you for patiently waiting for this chapter. This one ran a bit longer so the summoning of Saber and Lancer will have to wait until next time.

Also I'll be taking a month long break from fanfic writing to pursue original fiction, I hope you'll be looking forward to that to.

For those in need of a Princess' Knight-verse fix in the mean time, I run a ask blog for the series on tumblr. my screen name over there is mama-saber , feel free to send me asks about the series, universe, and characters.

See you all in a month!


	6. A Gathering of Heroes Two

A Gathering of Heroes part 2

_Rome, Italy_

Like a thief carrying a recent haul, a slender woman dodged through the crisp winter night through back allays and other dark spaces where sane people rightfully stayed away from. The particular stone in question was a relic of a bygone era when great empires united all the known world into a singular entity. Marked by a millennia of wind, rain, and heat it had once been part of a grand theater built by an empress who so loved the arts that she wished to showcase the talents of the empire's best and brightest. Or at least it was part of such a structure until several days ago when it's current owner, under cover of a unlit night, chiseled it from it's original foundry and hefted it back home as carefully as one could steal away a priceless relic of a bygone era.

It was not long before the man, dressed in a dark clothing and glasses meant to blend into the cold city night, finally arrived at her destination, an old apartment on the city's east side. Small and cramped, it was a room she had first rented years ago when she was a mere student of the magical arts. Though she had since become a competent Magus of some renown, her pay check, unlike her reputation, had remained small and unworthy of bragging about among her friend and colleagues. Thus the room she had rented long ago had since remained her home and base operations.

Dragging the fist sized piece of ancient architecture into a sparsely furnished room that often doubled as a space for working magic and magecraft far from the prying eyes of those jerks from next door who were always complaining about all the noise, explosions, and horrible wailing from beyond the edge of reality that seemed to constantly leek from her apartment door at all hours of the night.

"Well screw them." The black clad magus plainly stated as she began to draw the magical circle associated with the Fuyuki Grail War "This war is my ticket out of this crappy apartment and my chance to get away from all these idiots once and for all."

A few moments later she stood and admired her handy work, the summoning circle was perfect. All that was left was to summon the servant she had carefully selected as being her best chance to win the Grail War and claim the fortune and fame that came along with such a victory for herself. With one hand held palm open towards the circle she began the age old chant that had been handed down from one generation magus to another in hopes that someday someone would complete the ritual the Grail was constructed to carry out.

"Silver and iron to the origin. Gem and the archduke of contracts to the cornerstone. The ancestor is my great master Schweinorg.  
The alighted wind becomes a wall. The gates in the four directions close, coming from the crown, the three-forked road that leads to the kingdom circulate.  
Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill).  
Repeat every five times.  
Simply, shatter once filled.  
――――I announce.  
Your self is under me, my fate(doom) is in your sword.  
In accordance with the resort of the Holy Grail, if you abide by this feeling, this reason, then answer.  
Here is my oath. I am the one who becomes all the good of the world of the dead, I am the one who lays out all the evil of the world of the dead.  
You, seven heavens clad in three words of power, arrive from the ring of deterrence, O keeper of the balance ―――!"

Calling upon the ancient magic of the grail the door to the throne of heroes opened with a great roar of lightning and raw magical energy that knocked the summoner to the ground with a mighty thud. Then, aided by the eldritch power of the great Grail, a Legendary soul with an eye for art and the charisma to lead an empire emmerged from the depths of the Throne of Heroes. Clad in red and carrying herself in a manner befitting royalty, there was little question the ritual had been a complete success.

"Now, praetor, I ask a single question of thee." The short woman in red spoke. "Are you my master?"

The magus in black merely shook her head in agreement.

_Fuyuki City, Japan_

Upon a hill sat a church. A relic from the age in which Christianity first made headway into the nations of the east, the structure had long been a holy ground for those meant to partake in the Fuyuki Grail War. For under the surface ran a layline necessary for the ritual known only as Heaven's Feel, making it one of several locations across the city upon which the grail may manifest itself. For this reason the church was always heavily guarded by agents of the church, holy men who had been tasked with overseeing a conflict waged by their eteneral enemies.

Previously occupied by several generations of priests and other holy-types, it currently lie empty save for a certain errant soul who had long outstayed his welcome in the modern world. The man would have best fit the role of overseer was the son of man who had filled the role one war prior. Unfortunately, he had fallen victim, as so many often do, to the curse of the grail and his body and bones, or what was left of them, currently lay in a grave beside the church his father had once dwelled within.

The search for his replacement was a long one that culminated in a most unusual of selections. A young girl of fourteen with radiant silver hair and a tendency to dress in a manner most garish. The daughter of the man who would have filled the role, had he lived to see the present day, her calm, calculating demeanor and talent for deal with others made her the perfect candidate to oversee the newest Grail War.

Like many others, the silver haired girl was currently en route to Fuyuki with dreams of the Grail War dancing about in their waking minds. As she sat staring into the night sky from her seat aboard a private plane, she wondered how the war would play out and what brave soul would be granted the one-in-a-lifetime chance to have all their fondest desires come to fruition. She then remembered how the last war had played out and the massive fire that had claimed the lives of her father. She smirked, regardless of the outcome, this was going to be interesting.

For better or worse, the curtain would soon rise on the Fifth Holy Grail War.


End file.
